Former Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Recalls On-Duty Experience in Reddit AMA

For almost a century, soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery have guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier—24 hours a day, rain or shine, in a wool uniform, with perfect posture.

According to the Tomb’s official site, “The duty at the Tomb is not for everyone, with the majority of soldiers who begin Tomb Guard training failing … [Tomb Guards] are part of an unbroken chain of soldiers dating back to 1926.”

One redditor—user Formertombguard—claimed to be among the select ranks of soldiers who passed Tomb Guard training. After posting an image of an anonymized certificate, Formertombguard answered redditors’ questions about what it’s like to guard the Unknown Soldier for two years—and how early 20th-century picnickers and graffiti artists helped start this historic tradition.